Interposer and module test card assembly

Abstract

The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus and method to facilitate the testing of semiconductor devices packaged in surface mount modules (such as ball grid array modules and cylinder grid array modules) while the module is connected to a system board. The preferred embodiment provides an interposer mechanism that includes a top array of interposer landing pads and a bottom array of interposer landing pads. The bottom array of interposer landing pads are connected to the top array of interposer landing pads. The preferred embodiment also provides a module test card mechanism. The module test card mechanism includes a plurality of landing pads arranged to receive the surface mount module. The plurality of landing pads are connected to a plurality of test pins, and a plurality of landing pads underneath the module test card mechanism. The surface mount module can be coupled the system board through the module test card mechanism and the interposer mechanism with the plurality of test pins providing access to the semiconductor device for testing.

We claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus to facilitate testing of a semiconductor device in a surface mount module while said semiconductor device is connected to a system board, the apparatus comprising: a) an interposer mechanism, said interposer mechanism including a top array of interposer landing pads and a bottom array of interposer landing pads, said bottom array of interposer landing pads connected to said top array of interposer landing pads; and   b) a module test card mechanism, said module test card mechanism including a first plurality of landing pads arranged to receive the surface mount module and having a second plurality of landing pads arranged to connect with said top array of interposer landing pads, said module test card mechanism further including a plurality of test pins electrically connected to said first plurality of landing pads and to said second plurality of landing pads.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said top array of interposer landing pads are arranged to receive a top array of interposer interconnection balls and said bottom array of interposer landing pads are arranged to receive a bottom array of interposer interconnection balls and wherein said second plurality of landing pads are arranged to receive said top array of interposer interconnection balls. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said surface mount module comprises an array of module interconnection balls electrically connected to the system board and to said plurality of pins when said module is coupled to said first plurality of landing pads and when said top array of interposer interconnection balls are coupled to said second plurality of landing pads and said top array of interposer landing pads and when said bottom array of interposer interconnection balls are coupled to bottom array of interposer landing pads and said array of system board landing pads. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said surface mount module comprises a ball grid array module. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said surface mount module comprises a cylinder grid array module. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said surface mount module comprises a flip chip module. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bottom array of interposer interconnection balls comprises solder balls. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bottom array of interposer interconnection balls comprises cylinders. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said top array of interposer interconnection balls comprises solder balls. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said top array of interposer interconnection balls comprises cylinders. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said module test card mechanism comprises a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said interposer mechanism comprises a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of test pins comprise an array of pins arranged in rows and columns with each pin located equidistant from neighboring pins. 
     
     
       14. A method for testing a semiconductor device in a surface mount module when said semiconductor device is connected to a system board, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an interposer mechanism, said interposer mechanism including a top array of landing pads and a bottom array of interposer landing pads, said bottom array of interposer landing pads connected to said top array of interposer landing pads, said top array of interposer landing pads arranged to receive a top array of interposer interconnection balls and said bottom array of interposer landing pads arranged to receive a bottom array of interposer interconnection balls;   b) providing a module test card mechanism, said module test card mechanism including a first plurality of landing pads arranged to receive said surface mount module and having a second plurality of landing pads arranged to receive said top array of interposer interconnection balls and further comprising a plurality of test pins, said-purality of test pins electrically connected to said first plurality of landing pads and to said second plurality of landing pads;   c) connecting said surface mount module to said first plurality of landing pads, connecting said top array of interposer interconnection balls to said second array of landing pads and to said top array of interposer landing pads and connecting said bottom array of interposer interconnection balls to said bottom array of interposer interconnection balls and to said system board; and   d) testing said semiconductor device and monitoring test results via signals on the plurality of test pins.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein said surface mount module comprise a ball grid array module. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14 wherein said surface mount module comprise a cylinder grid array module. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 14 wherein said surface mount module comprises a flip chip module. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus to facilitate testing of a semiconductor device packaged in a surface mount module, said surface mount module having an array of module interconnection balls, while said semiconductor device is connected to a system board, said system board having an array of system board landing pads, the apparatus comprising: a) an interposer mechanism, said interposer mechanism including a top array of landing pads and a bottom array of interposer landing pads, each of said bottom array of interposer landing pads connected to at least one of said top array of interposer landing pads, said top array of interposer landing pads arranged to receive a top array of interposer interconnection balls and said bottom array of interposer landing pads arranged to receive a bottom array of interposer interconnection balls;   b) a module test card mechanism, said module test card mechanism including a first plurality of landing pads arranged to receive said array of module interconnection balls and having a second plurality of landing pads arranged to receives said top array of interposer interconnection balls and further comprising a plurality of test pins, each of said test pins electrically connected to at least one of said first plurality of landing pads and to at least one of said second plurality of landing pads; and   c) wherein said array of module interconnection balls are electrically connected to the system board and to said plurality of pins when said module is coupled to said first plurality of landing pads and said top array of interposer landing pads are coupled to said second plurality of landing pads through said top array of interposer interconnection balls and said bottom array of interposer landing pads are coupled to said array of system board landing pads through said bottom array of interposer interconnection balls.